Motorcar door lock mechanism



ct. 18, E966 TADASHIGE KAWABE 39 9 MOTORCAR DOOR LOCK MECHANISM FiledMay 5, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 i J0 l6 7 INVENTOR ruin/W7 KM E ATTORNEYS1966 TADASHIGE KAWABE 3379,27

MOTORCAR DOOR LOCK MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 5, 1964 INVENTORTwL 1966 TADASHIGE KAWABE 3,279,227

MOTORCAR DOOR LOCK MECHANISM Filed May 5, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORT MUM/17x K United States Patent C) 3,279,227 MOTORCAR DQOR LOCKMECHANISM Tadashige Kawabe, Tanaka Bldg, 97 Dairnyo-machi, Fukuoka,Japan Filed May 5, 1964, Ser. No. 364,907 Claims priority, applicationJapan, May 8, 1963, 38/24,546; Nov. 16, 1963, 38/61,746; Nov. 18, 1963,38/86,768; Feb. 26, 1964, 39/10,802; Apr. 14, 1964, 39/21,372

7 Claims. (Cl. 70-264) The present invention relates to a motorcar doorlock mechanism. Conventional motorcar door locks of any kind have beenoperated independent at each door with the handle thereof, so thattrouble results, in getting off, to examine the locked condition indetail at each door. Furthermore there has been a fear of the motorcarbeing stolen because the conventional lock has had such a simplestructure that it can be unlocked from the outside when the window panelis broken or left open carelessly.

The principal object of the present invention is to prevent themotorcar, or the articles therein, from being stolen, by using auniquely adapted master key which enables one to lock all the doors ofthe motorcar at the same time, so that the inconvenience of examiningall the doors in detail is obviated, and which makes it positivelyimpossible to open the doors from the inside as well as the outside,once the doors are locked.

Another object of the present invention is to provide motorcar doorswith novel door lock devices associated with an electromagnetic circuituniquely wired so that the lock devices of all the doors may be operatedat the same time. Thus, all the lock devices are operatedsimultaneously, and all the doors are locked simultaneously, when amovable piece is motivated by closing .the electromagnetic circuitthrough a control switch.

Still another object of the present invention is to enable one to enterthe motorcar easily, even if the electric source should become lower inpower, or if any circuit trouble should cause the loss of the doorswitch function, and thus to provide a motorcar door lock mechanismhaving a structure which may 'be manipulated in the same manner as whenthe switch operation is eflected electromagnetically.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a motorcardoor lock mechanism having a structure which can maintain a lockedcondition even if force is exerted on an outer door handle with theintention of unlocking the doors from the outside. Furthermore, in thelocked condition, parts are released so that there is no possibility ofbreaking a latch by force exerted from the outside in an attempt toforce entrance. Thus, the door lock mechanism of the invention remainsintact even if a strong force is applied to the inner or outer doorhandles in an attempt to force an unlocking of the door. As is known, inconventional motorcars such a force imparted to an outer or inner handleof a locked door can result in damage or breaking of the lock mechanism.On the other hand, with the lock mechanism of the present invention, noforce is transmitted to the door lock or latch when the mechanism is inthe door locking condition.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a motorcar doorlock mechanism which maintains a locked or unlocked condition as set bythe driver and irrespective of any independent or attempted independentoperation by a passenger. Thus, if the driver operates the mechanism tounlock the doors, a passenger cannot prevent such door unlocking merelyby holding a door lever or a push button. Furthermore, if the driversets the mechanism in the locking position, the locking of the doorcannot be prevented by a passenger holding an operating handle in thedoor opening position as, immediately the passenger releases the handle,the door will automatically be locked,

ice

In the present invention, this is effected by utilizing a movable memberwhich, in its movement to either the door locking position or the doorunlocking position stores energy in a spring in the event that suchmovement is interrupted, so that the movement of the member takes placeas soon as the obstruction is removed.

In conventional lock mechanisms, it has not been possible to lock thecar when the driver has to leave the car momentarily with a passengertherein. An object of the present invention is to provide a lockingmechanism having such a structure that, when the driver leaves the car,he inserts a key into the lock on either the left or right front door toactivate the mechanism to the locking position. Thereby, as soon as thedoors are closed, they are locked closed and cannot be unlocked untilthe driver returns and inserts the key. This is effected, in the presentinvention, by a movable latching member which is engageable with theratchet wheel controlling opening and closing of the car doors.

F urther objects of this invention will become apparent as thedescription proceeds, and the features of novelty will be pointed out inparticularity in the appended claims.

The structural details and operation of the improved construction areillustrated in the accompanying drawings, which illustrate arepresentative embodiment of the motorcar door lock mechanism of thepresent invention.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the motorcar door lock mechanism embodying theinvention.

FIG. 2a is a partial front view of the same, showing an operationalcondition when the door is locked and impossible to be opened.

FIG. 2b is a side view of the same partially cutaway.

FIG. 3a is a front view similar to FIG. 2a, showing the condition whenthe door is unlocked, possible to be opened.

FIG. 3b is a side view of FIG. 3a, parts of which are cut away.

FIG. 4 is a schematic wiring diagram of its electric circuit, and

FIGS. 57 illustrate alternative embodiments of the motorcar door lockmechanism of the present invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, particularly to FIG. 1, toan axis 2, mounted on the inner side of a lock base 1, there is pivotedan operating handle or lever '3 to which is connected a restoring springstressed responsive to operation of lever 3, which latter is mounted onthe exterior of the door. An engaging lever or pawl 5 is also pivoted onaxis 2 and is operatively associated with a ratchet wheel 4 mounted onthe locked base, the lever 5 being also stressed by the restoring springwhen connected to the lever or handle 3. When the doors are unlocked,handle 3 and pawl 5 are interconnected by a movable member or plunger 6,so that they are operated conjointly to release pawl 5 from ratchetwheel 4 thus permitting the doors to be opened. The plunger 6 may bemoved to a position interconnecting handle 3 and paiwl 5, or retractedfrom such position, by suitable means which may be eitherelectromagnetic means, fluid pressure means, or a combination of thesame, as indicated at 7 in FIG. 2b. When the doors are to be locked, theplunger 6 is withdrawn from engagement with lever or handle 3 and pawl5, thus leaving the lever 3 free to be operated without effectingrelease of pawl 5 from ratchet wheel 4.

Furthermore, in accordance with the present invention, spring power maybe used to operate the plunger 6. A second lever 8 is operativelyassociated with the pawl 5 to operate the same to disengage the ratchetwheel 4. Lever 8 operates on pawl 5 through the lever 3 so that, whenplunger 6 is withdrawn from the apertures 10 in handle 3 and pawl 5, thedoor cannot be opened. by operation of lever 8.

ated at the same time.

In this invention, when desired to make the doors impossible to beopened, motive power, such as an electromagnet or a fluid pressuredevice, is actuated through some switch device, which retracts plunger-6 from engagement with handle or lever 3 and engaging lever or pawl 5.Then, for instance, when the lever 3, which is exposed to the dooroutside, is pushed it runs idle without operating the engaging lever orpawl 5 cooperable with the ratchet wheel 4, so that it can not releasethe ratchet wheel 4, that is, the doors can not be opened.

Also there is observed the same effect when the lever 3 is pushedthrough the operating lever 8.

Thus, in picnicking or otherwise leaving the motorcar, there is no fearof its being stolen even if it is parked with its windows open, :whichlatter also has the effect of preventing the inner temperature frombeing raised too much.

Next when the doors are to be freely opened, lever 3 and pawl 5 areconnected with each other by projecting plunger 6 by means of the device7 such as an electromagnet or fluid pressure actuator and the handle orlever 3 is pushed.

The movement is transmitted to pawl 5, by which pawl 5 is released fromengagement with ratchet wheel 4, which, as a result becomes freed,allowing the doors to be opened.

According to the present invention, as distinguished from conventionalor prior art locking mechanisms, a locked condition of the motorcardoors can be effected easily by releasing the connection between pawl 5and handle 3 by retracting plunger 6. This allows idling of handle 3without any effect on pawl 5, so that the mechanism has a long lifewithout disruption.

Furthermore, the conventional mechanism has had faults in that either orboth of the inner lock system and/ or button and lever are apt to beeasily broken, when a strong shock is given to the outside lever orbutton for the object of unlocking from the outside, resulting in lackof safety against burglary.

In the locked condition of the present mechanism, on the other hand, allinterconnections between the outside operating handle 3 and the pawl 5are in a state of separation or release. Thus even if a strong shock isgiven to the mechanism, it is not transmitted to any part of the in nerlock system, so that the outside button and lever as well as the innerlock mechanism can be surely and completely protected from any deformityor damage, which makes the doors absolutely impossible to be opened.Then even though the locked portion thereof is broken, it is impossiblefor the doors to be opened.

Further, whenever any of the doors are opened or closed ratchet wheel 4is always able to rotate normally, so that it offers no resistance tothe door closing.

Thus the advantage of the invention is that there is no need to pay anyattention or to take any trouble with respect to the other doors, whenonly one of them is handled. Also the locking or unlocking of the doorsis effected solely by moving plunger 6, so that no high capacityelectromagnet is required therein. Thus, it becomes possible to minimizethe device in size, which has providing functions equal to those of theconventional mechanism while running.

In addition, there is no need to provide any kind of emergency escapeapparatus for the motorcar. This is another advantageous feature uniqueto the present invention.

The above described device is applied to the motorcar in this way:

First of all the lock devices of the invention are applied on all thedoors of the motorcar, and an electromag netic circuit 11 is wired sothat all the devices are actu- Switches 12 and 12 in electromagneticcircuit 11 are respectively associated electrically with anelectromagnet 13 and an electromagnet 13' each electromagnet 13 isassociated with electromagnet 13, so that magnets 13 and 13' conjointlycontrol the operation of an armature 16. In FIG. 2, the armature 16 isillustrated as so connected to the plunger 6 that, when armature 16 ismoved to the left or projected, it will retract plunger 6 from openings10 and, when armature 16 is retracted to the right, it will projectplunger 6 through openings 10. In the schematic wiring diagram of FIG-URE 4, however, the plunger 6 has been omitted and the armature 16 isillustrated as engaging in the openings 10. This has been done tosimplify the illustration of the wiring diagram in FIG. 4.

Between the switches 12, 12', there is positioned a switch operator 14which is operated by the master key to selectively energizeelectromagnets 13 or electromagnets 13'. A base plate 15, provided withsaid switches 12, 12 and tumbling piece 14, is generally fixed to eitheror both the left front door and the right front door. After the driverdismounts from the motorcar, the door A of the drivers side is closed,and then switch 12 is closed by turning the operator 14 to one side bymeans of the master key. As a result, all the electromagnets 13 of there spective doors are actuated, and their respective armatures 16 areprojected, biasing plungers 6 to retract from the respective holes 10 oflever 3 and pawl 5, which leads all the doors to be in a lockedcondition.

However, high accuracy of skill is required in assembling for thearrangement thereof wherein the combining piece 6 can engage withoutfail into the holes 10 of lever 3 and pawl 5.

In the present invention, for the purpose of making its assembling easy,as seen in FIG. 5, plunger 6 with a spring 19 is inserted into a guidecylinder 18 Which is fixed in alignment with hole 10, at the side of theactuating lever 3. Plunger 6 is operated by armature 16, and is inpressure contact With a pivoted push plate 20, so that its outer end mayslide in continuous engagement with the surface of push plate 20 whenplunger 6 is moved with the rotation of lever 3. Thus, high accuracy isnot required, in assembling the present mechanism, for the position ofthe motive power 7 and the combination of the plunger 6 and the armature16, resulting in easiness of assembly of the present mechanism.

The numeral 21 designates a control spring having the function ofbiasing plunger 6 to engage in the hole 10 when spring 19 is undertension.

The lock mechanism of the present invention is unique in that, in casethe electromagnets 13 and 13 cannot function, due to accidental loss ofpower of the source of electric potential, or due to circuit trouble,locking or unlocking of the doors can be effected manually. As best seenin FIG. 2b, a lever 22, pivoted intermediate its ends, has one endconnected to armature 16 and the other end forked for engagement withswitch operator 14. Thus, Whenever switch operator 14 is operated by themaster key, to swing in one direction or the other, lever 22 is swung inthe reverse direction and in the proper direction to effect the desiredmovement of armature 16.

There is also the possibility that, when the driver actuates the switch12 or 12 by means of the master key, he may not be aware that thelocking plunger is under too much pressure to move since a passenger maybe pressing on the door operating lever or handle. An arrangement forautomatically obviating inoperability such a case is illustrated in FIG.6 as comprising an armature 16.

Thus in FIG. 6, the structure comprises the movable piece 16; a hollowcylinder 23; a slide rod 25 possessed of a head 24 and inserted into thehollow cylinder 23; and a spring 26 sealed into said hollow cylinder inwhich the head 24 serves as boundary for it. The cylinder of 23 issubstituted, in the example of FIG. 6, for the plunger 6. Even when thelocking plunger, by any chance in locking, is under too much pressure tomove, the slide rod 25 connected to the armature 16 can move, as thearmature 16 moves, which compresses the spring 26 situ ated at one endof said head 24. The stored spring power biases cylinder 23 to retractfrom hole 10, so that the moment the pressure on the door lever or thebutton is relaxed, the pressure imposed upon the locking plunger isremoved. As a result cylinder 23 can retract from the hole 10, whichfinally results in .a securely locked condition of the doors. At timesit happens that the driver leaves the motorcar before the fare. In sucha case, the conventional mechanism has been impossible to be lockedbefore the closing of the doors.

In FIG. 7, connected to the movable piece 16 of the electromagnet is anengaging latch 27 of which function is only to halt directly orindirectly the reverse of said latch wheel on which the opening andclosing of the doors are solely dependent. The driver does the switch 12before the fare gets off the motorcar, to actuate the electromagnet 13,which engages the engaging latch 27 with said latch wheel 4. Even afterthese, when the doors are closed, it is possible for the latch wheel 4to be rotated in the right direction, so that each door can beindependently closed without any trouble accompanied, of course afterwhich all the doors cannot be opened or closed either from the inside orthe outside of the motorcar,

Having thus described the invention, What is desired protected byLetters Patent is as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A vehicle door locking mechanism comprising, in combination, alatching element movably mounted on the door and movable in a firstdirection to latch the door and in a second and reverse direction tounlatch the door; a detent means movably mounted on the door andnormally engaged with said latching element and preventing movement ofthe latter in a door unlatching direction; a manually actuable dooroperator movably mounted on the door for free movement relative to saiddetent means, said operator, when connected to said detent means, movingthe latter to disengage its associated latching element; means biasingsaid detent means to engage its associated latching element; a connectorseparate from and selectively engageable with both said operator andsaid detent means to mechanically interlock the same for conjointoperation, and selectively disengageable from both said operator andsaid detent means for manual and idle actuation of said operatorindependently of said detent means; electromagnetic means controllingsuch engagement and disengagement of said connector relative to saidoperator and said detent means; and a key operated switch controllingconnection of said electromagnetic means to a source of potential.

2. A vehicle door locking mechanism, as claimed in claim 1, whereinthere is a vehicle door locking mechanism associated with each of pluralvelhicle doors; said key operated switch conjointly controlling all ofthe electromagnetic means to said source of potential, and beingprovided only upon a door opening from the drivers seat of the vehicle.

3. A vehicle door locking mechanism, as claimed in claim 1, in whichsaid latching element is a rotary latching element having a ratchetwheel fixed to rotate therewith; said detent means comprising a pawlengaged with said ratchet wheel; a pivot pin; said pawl being pivotallymounted on said pivot pin; said door operator comprising a lever mountedon said pivot pin for free oscillation relative to said pawl; saidconnector, when engaged with said lever and said pawl, interconnectingthe same for conjoint oscillation about the axis of said pivot pin.

4. A vehicle door locking mechanism, as claimed in claim 3, in whichsaid manually actuable lever is accessible from the exterior of thedoor; said biasing means comprising a spring stressed by actuation ofsaid manually actuable lever.

5. A vehicle door locking mechanism, as claimed in claim 3, wherein saidelectromagnetic means comprising an electromagnet and an armaturereciprocable by said electromagnet, said armature being connected tosaid connector to operate the same in the engaging and disengagingdirections in accordance with selective energization of saidelectromagnet; said key operated switch comprising an oscillatablymounted switch operator movable from a neutral position to either of apair of openated positions by actuation of a key; and mechanical meansinterconnecting said switch operator and said armature and effective tomechanically move said armature in the proper direction responsive tooperation of said switch operator by a key, whereby said door lockingmechanism is operable in the event of power failure.

6. A vehicle door locking mechanism, as claimed in claim 3, in whichsaid lever and said pawl include portions juxtaposed with each other,each of said portions being formed with an aperture and said aperturesbeing aligned when said lever is not manually actuated and when saidpawl is in the ratchet wheel engaging position; said connectorcomprising a plunger mounted for longitudinal reciprocation to engagesimultaneously through both apertures or to be retracted from bothapertures; said electromagnetic means comprising an electromagnet and arelatively elongated armature reciprocated longitudinally in accordancewith selective energization of said electromagnet; means mechanicallyconnecting said armature to said plunger; said plunger comprising ahollow cylinder, a slide rod reciprocable within said cylinder andhaving a head; and spring means disposed between said head and eitherend of said cylinder; said slide rod being mechanically connected tosaid armature whereby, if said electromagnet is energized to retractsaid plunger from said apertures while said plunger is under stress dueto manual pressure on said lever, said spring will store energy toretract said cylinder when the manual pressure is released.

'7. A vehicle door locking mechanism, as claimed in claim 3, including asecond operator accessible from the interior of said door andselectively engageable with said pawl to disengage said pawl from itsassociated ratchet wheel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,198,862 4/1940Chesler --264 2,659,230 11/1953 Craig 70264 2,948,561 8/1960 Eatinger70264 X 3,000,204 9/1961 De Vito 70264 3,062,034 9/1962 Leslie 70264FOREIGN PATENTS 916,345 1/1963 Great Britain.

BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

1. A VEHICLE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM COMPRISING, IN COMBINATIN, ALATCHING ELEMENT MOVABLY MOUNTED ON THE DOOR AND MOVABLE IN A FIRSTDIRECTION TO LATCH THE DOOR AND IN A SECOND AND REVERSE DIRECTION TOUNLATCH THE DOOR; A DETENT MEANS MOVABLY MOUNTED ON THE DOOR ANDNORMALLY ENGAGED WITH SAID LATCHING ELEMENT AND PREVENTING MOVEMENT OFTHE LATTER INN A DOOR UNLATCHING DIRECTION; A MANUALLY ACTUABLE DOOROPERATOR MOVABLY MOUNTED ON THE DOR FOR FREE MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAIDDETENT MEANS, SAID OPERATOR, WHEN CONNECTED TO SAID DETENT MEANS, MOVINGTHE LATTER TO DISENGAGE ITS ASSOCIATED LATCHING ELEMENT; MEANS BIASINGSAID DETENT MEANS TO ENGAGE ITS ASSOCIATED LATCHING ELEMENT; A CONNECTORSEPARATE FROM AND SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE WITH BOTH SAID OPERATOR ANDSAID DETENT MEANS TO MECHANICALLY INTERLOCK THE SAME FOR CONJOINTOPERATION, AND SELECTIVELY DISENGAGEABLE FROM BOTH SAID OPERATION ANDSAID DETENT MENS FOR MANUAL AND IDLE ACTUATION OF SAID OPERATORINDEPENDENTLY OF SAID DETENT MEANS; ELECTROMAGNETIC MEANS CONTROLLINGSUCH ENGAGEMENT AND DISENGAGEMENT OF SAID CONNECTOR RELATIVE TO SAIDOPERATOR AND SAID DETENT MEANS; AND A KEY OPERATED SWITCH CONTROLLINGCONNECTION OF SAID ELECTROMAGNETIC MEANS TO A SOURCE OF POTENTIAL.